Six minutes of news from around the nation.

In a South Carolina debate, Darline Graham says she's "not that informed on national security." DOGE cuts, crowds stressing national parks across Colorado; Head Start reforms threaten early child development standards; Oregon teens learn the ropes of natural resources careers.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, August 20, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

It was a stumble that could decide the next senator from South Carolina.

Senator Darlene Graham botched a question about the importance of Taiwan to U.S. interests, saying she was not that informed on national security.

The New York Times notes the awkward moment, which prompted boos from the audience, underscored her biggest vulnerability in the race to succeed her brother, the late Lindsey Graham.

Graham does have the full support of President Trump, but she lacks the experience of her opponent, Representative Ralph Norman, who easily explained why Taiwan is an economic ally for the U.S. and worth protecting against China.

Meantime, national parks in Colorado and across the U.S. are seeing strong visitation numbers again this summer, even as the number of international visitors dropped by more than 40%.

At the most popular parks, visitors are navigating throngs of tourists, noise, long lines, and packed parking lots.

Colorado State University Associate Professor Michael Childers' new book, The Mountains Are Calling, details how the park's popularity and management policies have both shaped and harmed national parks.

He says it's a lot harder to have meaningful experiences at these iconic sites because so many people want the same thing.

But when you're at an overlook or in the valley or on a trail and it's so crowded that you can't hear yourself think that you might as well be in Times Square, then that erodes that national park experience that we all expect.

High visitation numbers also take a toll on aging boardwalks, bridges, restrooms and other infrastructure.

The nation's parks currently face a deferred maintenance backlog of more than $23 billion.

The single greatest threat to national parks and the wildflowers and wildlife that call them home is climate change.

According to analysis by the National Parks Conservation Association, park ecosystems are also challenged by the Trump administration's decision to open more surrounding public lands to drilling and other extractive industries.

I'm Eric Galatis.

And advocates for children in Maine warn the 12 administrations proposed demagulation of the Head Start program will negatively impact services used by some of the state's most vulnerable families.

The rollback could alter reading standards and nutritional guidelines, increase class sizes, and limit access to important medical and dental screenings.

Rita Furlow with Maine Children's Alliance says the changes could also erode support for low-income parents aiming to improve their family's quality of life.

Helping parents learn about child development, helping parents if they need support finding a new or a different job or going back to school.

Federal officials say fewer regulations will give states greater control over how Head Start operates, but Furlow warns that cutting back the number of hours that programs are required to operate, for example, hurts working parents and their children's ability to succeed in school.

I'm Katherine Carley.

This is Public News Service.

Most who work in the film industry didn't get a sudden lucky break, but instead succeeded through hard work.

The National Indian Youth Council wants underserved college students to know what's involved.

The council recently hosted free training sessions for production assistance at Doña Ana Community College in Las Cruces.

Arts Department Chair Matt Burns says it complements training offered by the two-year institution in film, television, commercial, and digital media production through its Creative Media Technology Program.

The production assistant route is typically the first step into the industry for most people who want to get in the film industry.

They get a role as a production assistant in just about any craft area.

In recent decades, blockbuster movies and TV shows such as Oppenheimer, No Country for Old Men, and Breaking Bad have all used the state's landscape to tell their stories.

I'm Roz Brown.

And lawmakers in the Golden State are weighing the final approval of four bills meant to lower electricity bills and promote clean energy.

Senate Bill 868 would adjust the rules to make it easier for renters to put a small solar panel on their balcony.

Brendan Garcia is with Advanced Energy United, a clean energy trade association.

He says the state needs to cut red tape so more people can use portable solar to power their home.

More people having access to solar means that they get more access to being able to drive down their individual utility bills.

It's a great reliability tool if you're cut off from the grid because your local utility does a public safety power shutoff.

Southern California Edison opposes the bill, saying they are concerned that utilities won't have sufficient visibility to oversee customers' ability to send energy back to the grid.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Finally, an Oregon nonprofit is putting young people to work outside all summer in the hopes of inspiring more people to pursue a career in natural resources.

For decades, the sector has been struggling to replace retiring professionals like geoscientists and foresters.

Jacob Losby is with Wallowa Resources, which runs the eight-week paid summer internship called the High School Apprenticeship Work Program, or HAWC, in Wallowa County.

He says it offers young people a broad survey of potential careers. 85% of their time is out in the field actually working alongside professionals.

We do everything from rangeland management and noxious weeds to fish and wildlife to forestry.

This year we added some GIS training.

Lossby says this summer's program just wrapped up, earning participants college credits through Treasure Valley Community College.

He adds the program also focuses on professional development like goal setting, leadership and job hunting skills. 16-year-old Katie Hellinger was part of this year's HAWC internship program.

She says one of her favorite parts was learning about fish and wildlife biology.

I'm Isobel Charle, Oregon News Service.

This is Mike Clifford Ford Public News Service.

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